Worth the Wait
by Chlucifiction
Summary: When Jackson 'Jax' Teller was 5 years old, a baby was left on the doorstep of the Sons of Anarchy MC clubhouse. From the moment he saw her, he swore to protect her. Fluff and smut.


When Jackson 'Jax' Teller was 5 years old, a baby was left on the doorstep of the Sons of Anarchy MC clubhouse. He was the one who'd found her. She'd been wrapped in a pink blanket and was sound asleep in a baby basket. From the moment he saw her, he thought she was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen and he swore to protect her.

After the initial shock, the guys of the club had been surprisingly welcoming. The note that had been left with her said her name was 'Clare', stated that her mother, Cheryl Montgomery, had been a crow-eater, and apparently, quite a popular one. She wasn't sure which one of the SAMCRO members was the baby's father. The guys left the baby with Gemma, and a young, watchful Jax, while they went to church. An hour later, it was agreed. She would live at the clubhouse and be raised as a daughter of SAMCRO, with everyone taking turns to care for her. She would refer to all of them as 'uncle' and it didn't matter who her real father was, because from now on, they all were.

Jax watched over her as she grew. Baby to toddler, toddler to little girl. Her eyes had turned into a rich golden-amber colour and she had fiery red ringlets, which were always styled into pigtails. She worshipped Jax, and he adored her, leading her by the hand everywhere they went.

When he was 10, he dropped her at her classroom on her first day of school, and waited for her at the end of the day. At 15, he held her in his arms as she cried over the mean bitches at school teasing her. By the time he was 18, Jax didn't spend as much time with Clare as he used to since he was a prospect for joining the MC. But he would always drop everything to help her when she needed, ensuring her safety and happiness. The club never had a problem with him putting Clare first.

Clare would often do her homework at the bar of the clubhouse, and would frequently leave equipment behind, pencils, pens, highlighters, there'd been an assortment of items. Whoever was bar tending next would collect whatever she'd left and put them in a cup under the bar and she would come collect them when she realised they were gone. One evening the club was full to capacity, drinks flowing, music blaring, crow-eaters in various states of undress depending on who they were servicing. Clare walked out to the bar to collect some forgotten item, smiling and greeting those she knew well. On her way back towards her room, she was stopped in the hall by Ima, a bottle-blonde, fake tanned porn actress. A bigger slut Clare had never met. Ima was always throwing herself at Jax, and would then rub Clare's nose in it when he accepted.

"Well hey there Strawberry Shortcake. Off to play with your dolls?" She sniggered, tugging roughly on Clare's braid.

"Homework actually. Trigonometry. You've probably never heard of it." Clare smiled sweetly.

Ima sneered. "You wanna know where I've been? Or rather, who's been in me? Aww sorry sweetheart, but Jax needs a real women, not a little girl." Then she shoved Clare into the wall as she walked passed. Unfortunately for Ima, Jax had heard her and flew into a rage. He ran out of the bedroom, down the hall and into the main room, where, in front of everyone, he slammed Ima head first into the bar. Everyone stopped in shock to watch. Ima fell to the floor crying, and Jax crouched down in front of her.

"You don't touch her, or speak to her, and if you ever come her again, I'll kill you. You understand... whore?"

Ima nodded and took off out the door. Jax turned to face the crowd. "That goes for the rest of you sluts. Nobody hurts Clare." He turned and walked back down the hall, stopping to knock on Clare's door. He entered at her invitation and came to sit next to her on the bed. She was cross-legged, in the middle of the bed, her head down reading her textbook. Her thick braid hung down over her shoulder. "You ok Clare bear?"

"I'm fine. Used to it." She shrugged, her voice small.

Jax frowned. He didn't like her feeling small. Physically, yes, she was tiny, the top of her head not even reaching his shoulder, but in personality and attitude she was 10 feet tall. He'd seen her go toe-to-toe with all the guys at one stage or another. She was fearless and vibrant. A hell-cat when she wanted. Chibbs blamed the red hair. Said all red heads ran hot and would spontaneously burst into flame when provoked.

"Come here." He reached his arm around her shoulders and pulled her into his chest for a hug. "I will crush anyone who hurts you or upsets you. You know that right?" He felt her nod her head against him and he kissed the top of her head. "Love you Clare bear."

She pulled away and smiled up at him. "I know you do."

Jax left her, but felt uneasy. The smile she gave him was small and didn't reach her eyes. He'd never seen her smile like that.

A few days after her 16th birthday, Clare received notification that she'd been accepted into a prestigious arts high school in New York. She hadn't told anyone she'd applied, it had been a pipe dream. But now she had a chance to study art with a full scholarship. She'd always loved drawing and the guys had seen that she had a talent for it. She'd even designed a few of their tattoos. When she broke the news to them, they were happy for her, and insisted she go. Jax had remained quiet, watching her with an eagle-eyed focus. She wouldn't look at him.

The night before she left, Jax found her on the clubhouse roof, drawing in her sketchbook. He came and sat next to her.

"Why didn't you tell me?" He'd been hurt that she'd kept this from him.

She shrugged and continued to stare at her book. "You had other things going on. Besides, I didn't thing anything would come of it."

"You know I'm-"

"Stop Jax. Please." She cut him off and stood, turning her back to him.

Jax watched her. Once she was old enough to choose her own clothes, she'd always selected loose fitting items. It was the first time Jax realised he had no idea what her body looked like. He was surrounded by scantily clad women, so he knew exactly what they had, but Clare was a mystery. Probably a good thing really. She was 16 and he was 21. Too big of an age gap for anything to happen.

Clare sighed. "I need to go Jax. Please don't ask me why. Just... let me go. Okay?"

"Will you come back?" He held his breath, waiting for her answer.

"Yes. This is my home. My family is here. But I'm not sure when."

Jax released his breath. For a moment he'd been afraid. Afraid she would say no, and she would walk out of his life. It shook him that he'd felt so strongly about her. A sudden thought then struck him. She was 16 and was going to be living across the country on her own. No uncles. No Jax. And boys everywhere. Fuck!

"Clare?" His voice was unsteady.

She turned her head slightly towards him.

"Don't... Can you not... Make sure, you don't..." He let out a huff.

Clare had turned around to face him. "What are you trying to say Jax?"

He groaned and closed his eyes. "Don't fuck anyone! Okay?"

Clary gasped. Then chuckled, her hand covering her mouth. She sat down next to him, watching his face. Feeling her eyes on him, he looked over at her. She was finally looking him in the eye. She took a deep breath.

"How could I. When the only guy I want to do that with will be on the other side of the country?"

Then she kissed him. It was quick and sweet and over before he had a chance to react. By the time his brain had kicked back into gear and registered what had happened, she'd fled the roof, leaving her sketchbook sitting beside him. He picked it up and flicked through it. She was incredibly talented. All her drawings were perfect and always seemed to capture movement. He stopped on one page where she'd drawn the progression of a bird taking off. A crow. The first was still, and the last it was in full flight, with the 5 in between in various stages. It reminded him of when you draw a cartoon on the bottom corners of a book, and then flick through the pages really fast, making the cartoon animate. He tore the page from the book, careful not to crease it.

The day she left, the whole club escorted her to the airport. She rode with Jax, her arms not holding him as tight as she normally did. She hugged each of them goodbye, saving Jax for last. He held her tightly, her head resting against his chest. He kissed the top of her head, and rested his cheek on her, taking his time. He let her go and watched her walk through the gate. He stayed until he couldn't see her any more.

She'd been gone a year, and true to her promise, she called the club every Wednesday at 6:00. Jax never took the phone to talk to her. The guys had noticed the changes him. He was quieter, withdrawn. They all knew he loved Clare, they all did, but they began to suspect there was more to it.

Jax walked into the clubhouse one afternoon, and was told that a letter had been delivered for him. Accepting it, he went into his bedroom and sat on the end of his bed to read it. As he ripped open the envelope, he noticed the smell of vanilla. Clare. She'd always smelled of vanilla, even as a kid. His heart started thumping wildly as his fingers fumbled to open the letter.

_Dear Jax_

_I was in the park today and saw something that made me think of you..._

_Love Clare_

Confused, he turned over the page. It was a charcoal sketch of a boy about 7 holding his little sister's hand as they walked and ate their ice cream cones. She must've been around 3, and had her hair in pigtails. Jax sighed and swiped a hand across his eyes, wiping away the moisture. The picture was incredible. She'd managed to capture the love and adoration the kids had for one another. Jax went to his desk and retrieved a push pin from the drawer. He held up Clare's picture and pinned it to the wall. He stared at it for over an hour before he was called to church.

Jax hadn't replied to her letter. He'd thought about it, over and over again, but just couldn't put pen to paper. Two months later, he received another letter. He grabbed it and flew to his room. She'd sent him another drawing. This one was of the city. Buildings, people walking, cars stuck in traffic. Again, every detail was perfect, capturing the rush of city life. He flipped over the page.

_Dear Jax_

_This city is so busy. There's people and noise everywhere. Sometimes I can't breathe here. I close my eyes and remember the times we'd jump on your bike and just keep going, out into the country, as far as we could until the sun went down. We'd leave the world behind us._

_Love Clare_

He pinned the picture up next to the other one on the wall and sat down at the desk, pulling out a piece of paper and a pen.

_Dear Clare..._

He had only wanted to write her a quick note. Something short to let her know that he had received her letters and that she was on his mind too. But when Jax lifted his head, he'd written her an entire page. Everything he'd wanted to say but didn't know how, was now in black and white. He sat back, considering whether he should send it or not. In the end he figured he may as well send it. Clare had never told his secrets, he seriously doubted she would start now. He sealed the envelope.

The next month he had a letter waiting for him. She'd sent him 2 pages - all written, no picture this time. She told him how happy his letter had made her, how much she'd missed him.

The letters flowed between them. Jax would confide in her, confessing his sins and releasing his demons, pouring out all the thoughts and doubts he had about the club and it losing its way. His letters became a journal for him, only this journal responded. Sometimes she would answer him, giving her thoughts on a matter, other times she wouldn't reference his letter at all. Clare had a knack of knowing when Jax wanted her opinion and when he just needed to let it out. She was a balm to him. Even through paper she soothed his raging mind.

She'd been gone for 2 years, and still letters came. More often than not she would include a picture she'd drawn for him. Sometimes they were specific things that made her think of him, others were scenes from her life, or her memory. She'd even designed him a couple of tattoos. They were detailed and held meaning to him that no one but her would understand. As soon as he'd received them, he'd had them inked. To Jax it felt as though a small part of her was with him, permanently on his skin, permanently _under_ his skin.

When she turned 18, Jax sent her a necklace. It had a small, fine, delicate chain with a charm of a bird in flight. A crow. He'd seen it in a shop window and it reminded him of the picture he'd taken from her sketchbook before she left. He hoped she'd like it.

She texted him a picture. She'd taken a photo of herself from above, looking down her chest. He couldn't see her face, but she was wearing the necklace, nestled amongst her school shirt, her red locks licking either side of it. He followed the v of her shirt down her chest, taking in the small glimpse of the swell of her cleavage. Jax's breath hitched as his heart slammed against his chest. When had Clare gotten tits?

Clare was graduating and the guys were discussing who was going to attend. Jax volunteered. As every eye in the room swivelled towards him, he realised he may have been a little over eager in his enthusiasm for the assignment. His brothers chuckled and threw him knowing glances. It was decided that Bobby and Chibbs would go with him to New York. Jax was elated. They hadn't told her they were coming, so when she saw them out of her window walking along the sidewalk towards the school, she flew down to meet them. Jax caught her as she ran at him, lifting her up into his arms for a tight hug. His senses were hit all at once: the smell of vanilla as he breathed her in; her slim frame as he held her, his arms wrapping around her easily taking her slight weight; the musical sound of her laugh; his vision filled with the deep red of her hair.

He returned her feet to the ground and held her at arms length as his eyes took her in, roaming her from head to toe. Holy shit! She was a porno come to life. She was in her prissy private school uniform: a white collared button up shirt, blue plaid skirt, knee high white socks and black shoes. The uniform itself though wasn't what caught his attention. It was how she filled it. The shirt was fitted, wrapping up her torso and stretching across her now developed rack, the top button undone, showing a hint of cleavage. The pleated skirt reached her mid thigh, showing off her well toned legs and cute little butt, flaring teasingly when she moved. Her hair was up in a pony tail, and around her neck dangled the bird he had given her. Jax was stunned. She turned to give Chibbs and Bobby their welcome, before stepping back and gracing them with a dazzling smile. God he'd missed that smile. It was like the warmth of the sun shining down on you. She was happy, and when Clare was happy, she made those around her happy by osmosis.

The three guys had chosen not to wear their cuts as they'd kept Clare's location under wraps since she was here virtually unprotected. So when they stood for pictures on the day of her graduation, all anyone saw was a small red headed girl in her cap and gown, flanked by three big, very proud, men. They weren't bikers, they were just family.

Clare had gotten herself an apprenticeship at a high priced, well known tattoo parlour in the city. So Bobby and Chibbs made it their mission to find her an acceptable place to live, while Jax spent time with Clare. She'd taken him to her favourite places the city, and there was a party on tonight to celebrate graduating. Apparently there was a club not far from the school that was pretty lax with its ID checking, so it was a regular haunt for the students. Bobby and Chibbs had declined, but Jax was interested to see how Clare was around friends her own age.

They were all crammed into a booth at the club. Clare's friends seemed nice enough. There were 7 of them, including Jax, a mixture of boys and girls, and he could see that Clare was relaxed and happy around them. Despite the couple of beers he'd consumed, 'relaxed' was not a word Jax could use to describe himself right now. Clare had floored him when she appeared tonight in front of him wearing a strapless, tight little black dress, that barely covered her ass. The last time he'd seen her, she had no body at all. She'd been all baggy clothes and braids. Now she was all tight curves and flowing hair. He'd been instantly hard when he saw her, and had sent up a silent prayer that the other guys hadn't come out with them, or he'd never hear the end of it.

He returned to the group after a smoke break, making his way back to the booth, sliding in close to Clare, placing his arm along the back of the seat behind her head. She leaned into him, turning her head to give him a warm smile. He bent his head down to talk into Clare's ear, making sure she heard him over the loud music.

"You wanna dance?"

Her eyes lit up and she nodded eagerly. Jax stood up and held his hand out for her to take. Gripping her small hand in his, he led her to the dance floor. He kept his hands on her while they danced, maintaining contact. They moved closer and closer together, their bodies eventually connecting from knee to chest. His hands had been resting on her hips, but as the dancing progressed and the tension between them grew, he found they'd slid around to her lower back, then down over the soft roundness of her ass, pulling her into him. Jax's heart began to race. She spun around, sliding his hands onto her hips, pressing her back into him and was grinding against him. He bent his head down, and brushed his mouth against her bare shoulder, his beard tickling her. He heard her sharp intake of breath and she dropped her head back against him. He brought a hand up and gently placed in against her throat, his kisses becoming firmer. When he lightly nipped her with his teeth, he felt the vibration of her moan through his hand. She turned her head towards him, her fingers threading into his hair, bringing his head down to hers. There lips met lightly at first, a soft brush, barely a connection. They both pulled back and their eyes met. Both new that if they continued, they would be forever changing what they were to each other. Clare turned in his arms to face him and without hesitation, they met in the middle, their mouths crashing together with urgency. Jax slipped his tongue into her parted lips. She was soft and warm and tasted sweet. He groaned and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer and lifting her off her feet to meet his height. He lowered her back to her feet as they broke apart, both heaving in oxygen, their eyes locked together, amber to blue.

She opened her mouth to say something when she was interrupted by one of her friends. "Clare, we have to go. They'll be locking the doors to the dorms soon."

Clare nodded and smiled apologetically at Jax. He smiled back at her and took her hand, leading her back to her dorm. They said good night and he made his way back to the hotel, a small smile on his face the whole way.

They spent the next day moving her into the place Chibbs and Bobby had found. It was a small studio apartment, furnished and fairly close to where she'd be working. Once they'd moved all her belongings from the dorm, they went out to purchase anything else she needed. The guys would be leaving tomorrow, so they spent their remaining time all together, eating pizza, drinking beer and laughing about old times.

Clare stood on the sidewalk as the guys loaded their gear into a cab. She hugged Chibbs and Bobby, promising to continue her weekly phone calls as they got into the car, Chibbs calling out. "Love you Clare bear."

Jax came and enveloped her in his arms, breathing her in.

"You know _you_ haven't called me 'Clare bear' since you got here?"

Jax groaned. "How can I call you that when all I want to do is find a bed and fuck you till I pass out."

She gasped and turned her head to whisper in his ear. "Next time I see you Jax, I'll hold you to that." She kissed him on the cheek and stepped back. "Until then, you'll just have to use your imagination."

Jax sighed and smirked at her. "Oh don't you worry about that baby. I will be." He winked and got into the cab.

Over the next two years, Jax and Clare continued to exchange letters as they had been and Clare would still send him drawings. But since their last encounter had been so heated, they'd also regularly text each other 'spank bank' photos (as Jax referred to them). Clare was, of course, amazing at it. Where he would just point the camera and shoot, she would twist her body into artsy angles, teasing him with a glimpse of her naked curves, letting his imagination run wild. As time went on, she became bolder, showing him more and more of her skin.

Jax would be lying if he said he wasn't happy with the direction their relationship was going. But the physical distance between them meant that flirting and sexting, were pretty much as far as they could go. He had needs, and there's only so much his right hand can do. But he wouldn't lie to Clare. He'd told her that he was still bedding crow-eaters, but when he fucked them, it was her face he'd see, her body he was inside of. Clare had understood. She didn't expect him to become a monk while she was away.

Jax had changed since his trip to NY. To his brothers in the club, he'd returned more determined. He'd committed himself to working harder, earning more. He'd bought a house and upgraded his bike. When he'd been voted in as VP, he really stepped up, immersing himself in the club. To them it seemed like he was preparing to settle down. Of course, Clare was the hot topic when the guys had returned, in particular, Jax's reaction to seeing Clare again.

"Poor lad was like a deer in the headlights. I think it's safe to say he doesn't see her as a little kid anymore." Chibbs had informed them chuckling.

It was early on a Friday morning when all the guys left the clubhouse. The roar of a dozen or so Harleys making their way through Charming woke more than one resident. They arrived at the airport and made their way to the pick up area to wait. Jax finished his smoke and entered through the automatic doors. Instead of going to stand with the group, he hung back, leaning against a pylon, his eyes trained on the escalator, his leg jiggling nervously. He felt a tingle run up his spine and he lifted his head quickly.

Til the day he dies, he will swear that time slowed at this very moment. He spotted a pair of black, high heeled, lace up ankle boots. His eyes followed up long legs, encased in black ripped skinny jeans. Her curved hips sported a wide, black studded belt that sat at an angle. She wore a 3/4 sleeve leather jacket, chunky bracelets on her wrists. Her hair was longer, a thick red curtain falling in perfect curls down to her hips. Her eyes were covered in big, dark sunglasses, that she removed when she saw the large group of leather clad bikers waiting for her. She smiled radiantly and Jax felt his heart burst. He was frozen in place. She dragged her luggage behind her as she made her way towards her uncles. When each had embraced her and welcomed her home, the group parted, allowing her to see Jax.

He knew his appearance had changed. His blonde hair was shorter now and he kept it slicked back. His beard was fuller than it used to be, and straighter from where he was always pulling at it when in thought. He was sure he looked older, some of his deeds ageing him before his time. Jax pushed off the pylon to stand straight, his eyes focussed on hers, his mouth quirked in a cocky smile, as she slowly walked towards him, her hips swaying invitingly. She'd filled out a bit since he'd last seen her. At 18 she'd looked tiny and hot. But at 20, she was all womanly curves and crazy seductive. Her beautiful amber eyes were rimmed with long, black thick lashes and eyeliner, making them stand out against her milky white skin and flaming red hair. Jax started breathing hard. She stopped in front of him.

"Hi Jax."

Without thinking about it, Jax swooped down and kissed her, his hands cupping her face. She had her hands on his hips, steadying herself as she leant into his kiss. When Jax broke away, he rested his forehead against hers. "Welcome home babe." She laughed as he picked her up in a tight hug and kissed her again.

She rode home sitting behind Jax, holding him tight. It was evening when they reached the clubhouse. Jax parked his bike and waited for Clare to dismount. She have him one last squeeze and threw her leg over, standing beside him with a groan. He looked up at her with questioning eyes.

"It's been a while." She said, rubbing her ass.

Jax chuckled as he slid off his bike. "You'll just have get used to it again." He stepped forward, wrapping his arms loosely around her waist. "How's it feel having a beast between your legs again?" He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

Clare laughed out loud and stepped out of his grasp, walking towards the clubhouse. She turned her head back to answer him. "Stimulating."

Jax groaned and took off after her.

As Clare entered the clubhouse she was met with a huge cheer. She was quickly engulfed by the crowd, being passed from hug to hug. Tig whistled to call everyone to attention as Clay made a speech welcoming Clare home. Jax was leaning against the wall, smoke and beer in hand, watching Clare's progression through the party. She was so loved by everyone here and her physical absence had left a whole in their lives.

The night was winding down when she eventually managed to make her way over to him, and from the slight sway in her steps, Jax was pretty sure she was well and truly drunk. She stumbled a little and he caught her before she crashed, laughing along with her. Luckily, Clare was a happy drunk. She settled herself against him, snuggling into into his chest as she let out a yawn.

"Time for bed?" He asked and Clare nodded. With his arm around her shoulders, he led her back to her room. The prospect had brought her bag in from the car when they arrived and it now sat on the end of her bed. She pulled away from him and walked over to it. She rummaged through it and pulled out her pyjamas and a bag of toiletries. She walked into her bathroom, not bothering to shut the door. Jax moved the bag off her bed, and sat down to wait for her. Her room was unchanged from when she left at 16, photos and drawings littered the walls alongside poster prints of her favourite artworks. Clare emerged wearing a tank top and tiny sleeping shorts, exposing her incredible legs. She stopped in front of him and held out her hand. Jax took it and stood up, towering over her.

"Stay with me?" She asked, looking up at him with big eyes. Jax nodded and Clare reached up to his shoulders, sliding his cut off him and placing it on the chair in the corner. Jax toed out of his shoes and took off his hoodie. He removed his t-shirt, jeans and socks, leaving just his underwear on. Clare reached a hand out towards his chest, her eyes catching his ink, but Jax grabbed her hand. "Not tonight beautiful. We're both tired, and I want us wide awake for that." He kissed her fingers and led her over to the bed. They slid in between the sheets and Jax tucked Clare into his side, kissing the top of her head. "Sleep now."

Jax opened his eyes and let them adjust to the light. For the first time in as long as he could remember, he felt well rested. He'd slept so deeply that he hadn't moved from the position he'd gone to sleep in. This thought made him turn his head. Clare. She was still sound asleep curled against him. Her sleeping face reminded him of his first memory of her: a baby asleep in a basket, wrapped up in a pink blanket. Her face had changed shape, but she still looked as perfect to him now as the day he'd found her. He heard a soft knock on the door, before it opened. Gemma stuck her head in, smiling warmly at her son, who held a finger to his lips to keep her quiet.

"Clay needs you." She whispered before gently closing the door.

Jax extracted himself without waking Clare and got dressed. He walked out into the main room, accepting a coffee and a kiss from Gemma.

"Morning baby."

"Morning Ma."

"She doing ok?" She raised an eyebrow at him suggestively.

"We were tired mom. We slept." He said sipping his coffee.

Jax opened the door to the chapel. The guys had been talking amongst themselves until he entered and they turned their focus on him. He endured their whistles and cheers as he made his way around the table to his chair.

"Here he is! So glad you could tear yourself away. How is our girl this morning?" Clay asked him.

"I hope you were a gentlemen Jackie boy." Chibbs chided him.

Jax lit up a smoke shaking his head slowly. "Then as a gentlemen, I shouldn't tell." He smirked.

The guys all chuckled until Clay spoke up. "You know we love you both, son, and I know I speak for all of us when I say that nothing makes us happier than seeing you two together." The guys all thumped the table in agreement. "Having said that, if you hurt our girl in any way, no man here would hesitate to cut your dick off."

"At the very least." Added Tig.

Jax gave a wry smile. "I'm aware."

"Good. Now, onto business." Clay called the meeting to order.

Jax had been working in the garage for a couple of hours when he spotted her. She was sitting on one of the tables near the clubhouse door sipping from a mug. He wiped the grease off his hands and made his way over to her. She stood up to greet him with a quick kiss. She tasted of coffee and her hair was wet, hanging heavily down her back. "Hi."

"How you feeling?" He asked.

"Pretty good actually. Nothing sleep, a hot shower and coffee can't fix." She grinned.

They were quiet as Jax studied her face.

"What?" She asked.

"You have any plans for tonight?" His heart thumped heavily in his chest.

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Not yet. What'd you have in mind?"

"Thought you might like to stay at mine. It's quieter than here."

She took a small step towards him. "Is it?"

Jax nodded. "No one around. Interrupting..." He closed the last of the gap between them.

She gazed up at him, her breasts brushing against his chest as she breathed deeply. "I will follow wherever you lead me Jax."

Jax noticed her pupils beginning to dilate and he growled, dropping his head down to steal a kiss. Her hands wound around his neck pulling his head closer to her.

"Erm... Jax?"

He broke their kiss and dropped his head in defeat. "What is it Juice?" He snarled.

"Sorry man, we gotta go."

Jax gave Clare an apologetic look and a quick kiss. "Later." He promised with a heated look. She nodded and returned his gaze, watching him back away from her.

Jax parked his bike in the driveway of his house. Clare slid off the bike, handing him the helmet as she inspected the exterior. Jax was nervous. He kept his place neat and tidy, and he hoped she liked it. In truth, when he bought it he'd been thinking of her. Imagining _her_ living here with him.

He unlocked the front door, leading her inside. He showed her the kitchen and living areas, then led her through to the bedrooms. There were 3. The first was the master bedroom and ensuite. He didn't let her linger in here. She would have plenty of time to study it later. The second he'd left empty. The bathroom was next, sitting between the second and third rooms. He opened the door to the third bedroom, gesturing for her to enter while he leant against the door frame to watch her. When she took in the room, she turned her head to look at him, her face alight, her smile beaming at him.

Against one wall was a tall architect's desk. It angled down and had a backlight to allow pages to be seen through easily. It was perfect for creating tattoo stencils. In the corner by the window was an artist's easel and a small table. Along another wall was a bookshelf that held boxes and baskets filled with art supplies. Framed artworks hung around the room. They were Clare's. The pictures she'd sent him over the years with her letters. Her tattoo designs hung above the desk, while some of her drawings were placed around the rest of the room.

After walking around the room, she slowly made her way back to Jax, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. She stepped up close to him. Rising up onto her toes, she flung her arms around his neck, dragging his head down to meet hers. Her kiss was not gentle. It was forceful and heated. Jax lifted her up and she didn't hesitate to wrap her legs around his waist. He turned and rested her back against the wall of the hallway as he twined his tongue with hers. She moaned, her hands pushing his cut off his shoulders and letting it fall to the floor. Jax's hands roamed her body, pushing up her top to feel her warm skin. He moved his head to kiss down her neck as she tilted her head to give him better access. She had unzipped and removed his hoodie and was working his t-shirt up when he grabbed her ass and spun her, walking them down the hall to his bedroom. She'd given up on his shirt, and was taking off her leather jacket and top as he kept her steady. Eager to divest her of her bra, he leant her against his bedroom doorframe as he reached a hand around her back and snapped open the clasp. She yanked the garment away confidently exposing her chest to him. Jax felt light headed. "Birth control?"

She nodded. "Pill."

"Fuck yes!" He breathed as he bent his head to lick and bite the soft globes. They were bigger than they looked, filling his hands completely. Clare moaned and sighed at his attentions and the sounds went straight to his straining cock.

He went back to her mouth, lifting her once again, and depositing her onto the bed. He broke away from her to remove her shoes and unzip her jeans, pulling them down her legs, and throwing them onto the floor. He stood back up and pulled his t-shirt over his head. He heard Clare gasp as she sat up on her knees on the edge of the bed reaching for him. He stepped forward and felt her hands sliding across his chest. She leaned forward and pressed kisses on his tattoos before running her tongue along his abs. She unzipped his jeans and hooked her thumbs into the waistband, pushing them down along with his underwear. He bent down to finish the job, standing back up completely naked before her.

Jax moved forward looming over Clare so she lay back down on the bed. He pulled her little panties off her legs, his mouth watering at the sight of her neatly clipped ginger pussy. He brought his knee up onto the bed between her legs, leaning his weight on his arms, hovering above her. She lifted her hands to his hair, bringing his head down to kiss her, their tongues dancing together. He removed his mouth from hers and kissed his way down her throat, across her collarbone. He bit her shoulder and she squirmed, her breath hitching. He resumed feasting on her glorious tits, her back arching to push her chest closer into him. He moved further down, leaving a hot, wet trail down her stomach. He settled his weight on the bed when his head dropped lower, his broad shoulders cradled by her milky white thighs. Jax ran his tongue along her slit, revelling in her quivering reaction. He used his tongue and teeth to pleasure her, using a forearm to hold down her hips. He plunged his fingers into her, pumping her faster when he felt her muscled begin to tighten around him and her cries reach their peak. He felt her whole body go stiff as she orgasmed, coating his hand in her cum.

He turned and wiped his mouth on her inner thigh before he rose and moved over her. Taking himself in his wet hand, he spread her juices over his painfully hard cock, lubricating it. He placed his tip at her entrance as looked up at her.

"Sure?"

She nodded. "I'm ready."

Jax leant his weight on his forearms either side of her head and kissed her and he entered her carefully. "Fuck!" He breathed. She was so warm and tight and it felt incredible. He forced his eyes open to look at her. "Ok?"

"Yes. Keep going."

He pushed forward slowly until he was completely inside her. He felt her muscles stretch to accommodate his size and groaned at the exquisite feeling. This was a thousand times better than he'd ever imagined.

Clare had her eyes squeezed shut, breathing deeply. She was in pain, and he hated himself for hurting her, but couldn't help feeling cocky that he was the first to be inside her. No matter what happened to them now, no one could take that from him. He desperately wanted to move, but he forced himself to hold still until she was ready. When she tilted her hips and kissed him, he withdrew slightly, and began a slow careful rhythm. Soon she was moving with him, clawing his back and urging him to go faster. He drew her knees up to his hips as he pumped into her faster and harder, the sounds of her pleasure ringing in his ears urging him on. He felt her tighten around his cock, cumming as his name wrenched from her throat and he exploded inside her.

Jax collapsed, his weight falling onto Clare and he gulped air into his lungs. He felt the rapid rise and fall of her chest as she tried to catch her breath underneath him. He pulled out and rolled to the side, his head turning to observe her. Her cheeks were flushed pink, a fine sheen of sweat covering her skin. Her deep red hair had fanned out over the pillow, with little tendrils sticking to her forehead. He turned onto his side, facing her, and kissed her shoulder before propping his head up on his hand, looking down onto her. "You ok beautiful?"

"Uh-huh. You?" She locked her eyes with his.

"I am more than ok. You have no idea how many times I've dreamed of this."

She shifted onto her side, mirroring his position. "And did it live up to the fantasy?"

He screwed his face up. "Nah."

She scoffed and punched him in the arm. He chuckled and wrestled her, rolling her onto her stomach and positioning himself on top of her, placing a lingering kiss on her shoulder blade. "It was better. So much better than anything my brain could come up with." He kissed all over her smooth back, before stopping abruptly.

"Jax? What's wrong?"

"Clare... do you have any ink?" He assumed she would since she was an artist herself.

She laughed. "I don't. Not yet."

A virgin in every way. He growled possessively.

They didn't get much sleep that night, each of them eager to make up for the years of separation. They'd had a leisurely breakfast (followed by a quick fuck on the kitchen counter), showered (which included shower sex) and dressed (which took forever because they couldn't keep their hands off each other).

"Do you guys have a meeting this morning?" She'd asked.

He nodded. "At 11. Why?"

"Could you send someone to get me when you're done talking business? I have a request of the club."

"Sure. Do I get to know what it is?" He was concerned.

"You'll find out." She smiled at him.

Jax drove them back and parked his bike. They both walked into the clubhouse, Jax giving her a quick kiss as he made his way to church. The guys hadn't sat down yet, and Ope slung his arm over Jax's shoulders as he went to walk past.

"I see she stayed with you last night. Looking a little tired there brother." Ope grinned.

Jax couldn't help his smile. "Honestly, I can barely stand up today."

Clay banged the gavel. "So if there's no other business-"

Jax interrupted him. "Actually there is something. Ope, could you get Clare?"

Opie nodded and left the room. All eyes turned to Jax, who held up his hand, signalling for them to wait. Ope escorted Clare into the room. She stood at the end of the table to address the group, Piney having shifted his chair to face her. She was holding a black portfolio. Jax spoke up.

"Clare has a request to make of the club."

All eyes turned to her.

"Thank you for seeing me. You may all be surprised to know that, even though I have designed and inked many tattoos, I am yet to get one myself. I have always wanted my first ink to be representative of the family who raised me."

She handed the portfolio to Piney, who opened it. His eyebrows raised and he passed it down the line. Once each member had seen her design she spoke again.

"I know I'm not a patch member, and I'm not asking to become one. I am asking for the club's permission to use this design for my first ink."

Clay glanced around at his brothers. "Let's put it to the vote. All those in favour of Clare's request." He paused staring at Clare. "Yea."

Jax beamed at Clare. "Hell yes."

Each member around the table voted in the affirmative, finishing with Tig's "Absolutely! Yeah."

Clay concluded. "It's unanimous. Clare has the club's permission." He banged the gavel making it official. Jax leapt from his seat and made a beeline for her, lifting her up and giving her a kiss. "I'm so proud of you babe."

2 hours later, she was sitting in the chair with her back exposed, Jax sitting in front of her, holding her hand with a goofy grin on his face. She had flinched at the first contact of the needle, but had settled quickly.

"Why are you grinning like an idiot?"

"Can't help it. Your design is fucking awesome and I can't wait to see it on your perfect body." He kissed her fingers and she smiled at him. "So have you thought about what your second one will be?"

"Jax! We haven't even finished the first one, so no I haven't thought about the second!"

Jax stood at the end of his bed gazing down at her, his phone in his hand. She was lying on her stomach, her head turned to the side, her arms bent upwards, disappearing under her pillow. He'd brushed the flaming mass of her hair aside, and pulled the sheet down to her hips, exposing her recently inked and healed back. He snapped a couple of pics. She looked so perfect he'd wanted to capture the image forever.

Her design was inspired. She'd taken the SOA logo from the back of their cut and shrunk it down to fit between her shoulder blades. Where it would normally say 'California', hers said 'Redwood Original'. His favourite bit, however, was above the words 'Sons of Anarchy', she'd added 'Daughter of'. He'd loved it the minute he'd seen it, and apparently so had the rest of the club. He was so proud of her. She'd eagerly claimed her body for the club. But Jax couldn't help but feel that he now wanted to claim her as his own.

About a year ago, when she was working in New York, she'd begun entering her work into body art competitions. Her success in this had gained her nation-wide recognition, not only for her work, but because she was so young to be producing such quality. Clare had begun working at the club's tattoo place and had insisted that the building needed to be renovated. She wanted to attract higher-end clientele, which meant the shop needed to be brighter and cleaner. The existing artists didn't have a problem with this, agreeing that if the place looked more up-market, then they could charge more.

She had one more client booked in before the end of her day, and she was cleaning her station when Jax walked in. "Hey babe."

"Hi." She kissed him. "You're early, I've still got one more."

"I know. You're looking at him." He grinned at her as he sat in the chair.

"Oh... ok... what would you like?" She was taken aback.

"The 'Crow Series'. Right here." He pointed to his left inner forearm.

Clare smiled and nodded, turning to her desk to draw up a stencil. When she'd finished, she held it against his arm for his approval. He nodded. She got to work.

She'd completed 4 of the 7 crows when she stopped to refill the ink and felt him watching her. "What?"

"Nothing. Just watching you work. You're so focussed." He gave her his panty-dropping smile.

"Well I won't be focussed if you keep looking at me like that." She pushed his head to face the other way and he laughed.

When he'd torn that page from her sketchbook all those years ago, he'd had it professionally framed. The 'Crow Series', as he'd come to think of it, now hung above his bed. He'd always thought of getting the series inked onto himself. It would mean even more to him now that Clare had been the one to mark it on him.

Clare sat back and checked her work. Once she was satisfied, she let Jax look at it. He thought it looked even better than her original.

A few days later, he picked her up from work, and noticed her left arm was wrapped up. He smiled and gestured to her arm. "Decided on your second?" She nodded at him, and smiled.

She was in the shower when he got home. She'd officially moved in with him yesterday and Jax was loving the thought of having her to come home to. He stood for a second to watch her. She had her back to him, leaning against the wall, the water spilling down over her incredible body. Her hair was up, piled high on her head, curling tendrils escaping. He stripped off his clothes and stepped into the shower behind her, kissing her shoulder as his hands skimmed her arms, his hands landing on top of hers on the wall and holding them there. His eyes caught on their left inner forearms, and their matching tattoos. After inking his arm with the 7 crows, she'd done the same on her own arm, the placement matching his. He felt so happy he thought his heart might burst.

There bodies slipped against each other, her ass rubbing against his, now hard, cock. Jax bent his legs to align them, his right arm curling around her belly, biting down on her shoulder as he slipped his hardness inside her. Clare groaned, grinding down onto his length, resting her right hand on his, linking their fingers together. Jax slid their joined hands down to play with her clit, making Clare squirm against him. It didn't take long for them to cum together.

They lay in bed together later, Jax nestled between her legs, resting his chin on her stomach as she idly played with his hair. He looked up at her, catching her eye. "How would you feel about designing a particular tattoo?"

"For you?" He nodded. "Sure. What are you thinking?"

"A crow."

She looked at him confused. "You have a crow. 7 of them in fact."

"This one would be bigger."

"Ok. Where will it be going? That'll give me an idea of size and shape." She was eyeing his body looking for a spot.

Jax kissed her stomach, just below her belly button and above her mound. "Right here." Clare propped herself up on her elbows, looking at him intently. "I want you to wear my crow. You're mine." He leant forward and kissed her lips.

"What do I get in return?" She asked cheekily.

He gave her his charming smile.

Jax sat on the bed, Clare standing in front of him, his hands on her hips stopping her from moving. She laughed. "You know I will eventually need to move right?"

"Just a bit longer." He stared at her lower stomach where his crow now resided. Jax was mesmerised by it. The crow appeared out of smoke, flying into being, heading across towards her hip, it's wings outstretched. The detail was amazing, he could swear it was real, the smoke beginning to swirl the longer he stared at it.

"You know... it's actually an inconvenient place for a woman to get a tattoo."

"Oh yeah, why's that?" He responded, not looking up.

"Well, if she gets pregnant, her belly will grow and the picture will distort. And you better pray she doesn't need a c-section, or there'll be a scar straight through it."

Jax slowly raised his head, looking up at her. "Something you're trying to tell me babe?"

Clare eyes widened and she shook her head. "No. I'm not ready for that yet."

He smiled and nodded, dropping his head to kiss the crow.

"So we're all clear on what needs to be done. Let's get to it." Clay banged the gavel and the guys started to rise from their chairs.

Jax cleared his throat. "Uh... before everyone goes, I need a minute." They all sat back down and turned their curious eyes to him.

"Thanks. So... it's Clare's birthday next week." He begun.

"Aye, 21, can you believe it? Where did the time go?" Chibbs asked as the men around the table all murmured their agreement.

While they were distracted, Jax took a deep red velvet covered ring box from his pocket and placed it towards the centre of the table, instantly silencing the room.

"I'm asking your permission."

The silence seemed to stretch forever before Clay finally spoke. "Yea."

As each member gave their blessing, Jax's smile grew.

Clare's birthday party was in full swing when the cake was brought out and she blew out the 21 candles to a round of 'Happy Birthday'. She cut the cake straight through, the knife hitting the board.

"You know that means a kiss to the nearest?" Shouted Bobby.

Clare laughed and turned to where Jax had been standing, only to find him down on one knee, holding up the open ring box. Her eyes widened as she gasped. The room was silent as everyone collectively held their breath.

Jax had been going over all the things he wanted to say to her. For weeks he'd rehearsed it in his head and found the ring he wanted her to have. But when the time came, all that came out was the one thing he wanted more than anything.

"Marry me?"

He stared up at her in awe. She was backlit from the party lights, making her hair glow around her, her amber eyes shone as she bestowed on him her most radiant smile and whispered. "Yes."

Jax nearly wept in relief. He leapt to his feet scooping her up in his arms, her legs wrapping around him as she held his face between her hands, kissing him with everything she had. Jax let her feet fall back to the floor, and pulled back so he could put the ring on her finger before kissing her again. Everyone around them cheered and offered their congratulations, but Jax didn't hear any of it.

"Jax, please. Faster." She pleaded with him.

He kissed her deeply, his hands holding onto hers, pinned above her head. "Slow baby. I want to feel everything."

They'd fucked like rabbits in heat when they'd gotten home from the party, barely making it in the house. This time he wanted it agonisingly slow. He wanted to be inside her for hours. Hell, he wanted to bury himself inside her and _never_ leave. Leaving her arms above her head, he slid his hands along her body, feeling her soft curves undulate underneath him. Her back arched up to him as he plunged into her, her heels digging into his ass, pulling him deeper into her.

"Jax." She sighed.

"Shhh. I got you babe." He knew she was getting close, he could feel her body tightening, hear her breathing pick up. He bit into her shoulder and felt her cum flooding over his cock, sending him over the edge along with her.

It had been a particularly bad day for Jax. He finally walked in the door sometime before dawn, bruised and bloody. He looked into the bedroom, checking on Clare, being careful not to wake her, before getting into the shower. The hot water stung his open wounds as it washed away the blood. He felt the cold air hit his back as the shower door opened. Clare's hands wound around his waist and he flinched when she brushed his bruised ribs. He felt her body stiffen, and he turned around to face her. She gasped as she took in his injuries. "Who did this to you?"

He sighed and rested his forehead against hers.

"Jax. You need to decide what kind of wife you want me to be. One who knows nothing, that you lie to. Or one that knows everything and you tell the truth to. I know which one I want to be, but it has to come from you."

Jax was on the roof of the clubhouse when his mother found him. "Hey baby. You ok?"

He took a deep breath. "Would you have preferred not knowing what your husband was into? Kept out of it?"

Gemma sat down beside him, taking her time in answering. "You know... a marriage will never work if there's no honesty, or trust. There will always be a void between you, that widens with every lie. Me knowing the secrets, made us closer. It meant that I could stand by my husband completely." They were both silent for a while before Gemma spoke again. "Besides, Clare has grown up here. Hell, that girl probably knows more than any of us already!"

He parked his bike out front and made his way into the shop to pick up Clare. She was putting away her stuff when she looked up and saw him. "Hey babe. You ok?"

He gave her his sexy smirk and came to sit in her chair, leaning his elbows on his knees. "I thought about what you said."

She stopped and turned to face him, leaning back onto the workbench, her eyes focussed on him.

"I don't want anything coming between us. I want you by my side, completely. I want you to love all of me, the good and the bad."

Clare pushed off the bench and walked slowly towards him. She put her hands on his shoulders, pushing him to sit upright as she straddled his lap, his hands coming to rest on her ass. "Do you know why I never had a boyfriend in New York? Why, in all the time I was there, I never fell in love, or even contemplated it?" Jax looked her in the eye, waiting for her to continue. "It's because my heart was never mine to give away." She took his hand in hers and brought it to her lips. "It's been right here, in your hand, all these years. I know who you are Jax. I've always known. And I have loved you my whole life. I was just waiting for you to catch up."

His eyes bore into hers. "You always were smarter than me." He chuckled and kissed the hand, still holding his. "I love you Clare. So much." He flattened her palm against his heart. "This beats for you. Only you. Forever."


End file.
